The Dark Side of the Moon
by JBean
Summary: Draco and Ginny friends? more? Who would have thought. A tragety leads to something unexpected. Read and enjoy, review if ur nice (hint hint)
1. Beginnings

A/N: Thanks to all who read this story, more thanks to those who review.

Disclaimer: I hereby claim that I own nothing. Anything that you recognize from Harry Potter obviously belongs to JKR. Some ideas of the plot belong to Elizabeth Peters from her Amelia Peabody Mysteries. There fore if you try to sue me for this story I will point to this and laugh in your face. No, It doesn't matter that it is in point 5 font, it is still here and it is basically the fine print of this story. Besides, I am a student and there fore have about a nickel to my name so you would only lose money in trying to sue me. 

~*~*~The Dark Side of the Moon~*~*~

(The Summer after Draco's Fourth Year)

_Hey Marcus,_

Yeah it's me again. You probably figured that out all by yourself. At least I would have hoped that you would have, I've only had this owl since I was nine years old. Well, In response to you're previous owl, no I am not in any relationships, and no I don't want you to set me up with another of your half-witted so-called "hot babes". My father may approve of them but I personally want something with more than one brain cell. I won't be at the mansion for a few weeks; father got us tickets for a cruise. Of course there will be no muggles or mud-bloods, as my father so fondly calls them. Why does he have to be such a racist bastard? Probably the same reason he always treats me like shit. O well, what are you going to do? Nothing of course, why do I have to be so damn weak? Wouldn't my father just have a fit if he knew how weak all his instilled views have made me? Ha! He doesn't even notice that mother is sick, he continues to deny it so I am left to help her as best I can. I've decided to take a medi-wizard course next year at Hogwarts. Them maybe she won't continue to die slowly. God! She looks worse every time I visit, why do I have to feel so hopeless? Why the hell are you the only one that I can tell all this shit to? Not like you're even reading this, you haven't read anything I've sent you since second year! Well, no point in writing more since you won't listen anyways. How the hell did I get stuck with you as a friend?

Your so-called best friend,

Draco

Draco stood up from his crouched writing position and looked around. 'So this is what it has come to' he thought bitterly. His only solitude was on the roof of his house. He had taken to coming to this spot on the roof over his bedroom during the previous summer when he realized what a piece of scum his father was. The next day he was leaving on that stupid cruise. 'I doubt my father would even notice is I left at one of the stops we make, he'll be to busy "socializing" with Voldemort's groupies. Maybe that's what I'll do, I'll just leave when we reach that port in Bulgaria or wherever it is.' Draco's mind was churning as he climbed off the roof and ties his letter to the leg of his owl, Bali. He made his plans to escape his father; he didn't know what he would do after he got away but just figured that would be where his sweet-talking skills would come in

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(The summer after Ginny's third year)

"I can't believe it, I'm stuck here visiting Charlie in Bulgaria when I could be home laying on my bed and reading that new book I had to leave behind because' it wouldn't fit in my bag!" Ginny was pacing around her makeshift room in one of the tents her family was using and talking to her pet cat, Bastet. "Of course mom would view Ron's broom as being SO much more important than my book so of course I just HAD to pack that stupid broom in MY bag and ended up having to leave MY book at home just to make room for RON'S bloody broom!" Bastet had gotten up without Ginny noticing and was now pacing beside her owner. "And another thing! Why can't I EVER go near the dragons? That is SO unfair, I love them but I'm not allowed near them because I'm the littlest! When will someone ever treat me like a real person and not just the 'littlest weasley'? I mean I have friends my own age but they still treat me like I'm the youngest! Why are you the only one who will take me seriously?" She asked the last question as she scooped up the little white cat from beside her. "If we ran away and made a new life for ourselves then maybe I could get a real friend. So Ginny began making plans to escape and become her own person. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(about a week later, both Ginny and Draco have escaped and are busy running through the woods)

Draco had managed to slip away while his father had been talking to another Voldemort groupie. He had taken his belongings and slipped over the sideof the ship and swam to shore which was less that 100 Meters away. Draco was a strong enough to swim through the currents mainly because of so many years of playing quidditch and practicing sword fighting. When he was free of the water he began to make his way through the forest at the edge of the water. He broke into a run when he thought he heard footsteps behind him. 

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Ginny packed her belongings while her family was saying good night to the dragons and left around midnight after everyone was fast asleep. She ran through the forest eager to be away, Bastet at her side. After traveling for about an hour, she began to slow to a walk. She was well accustomed to long periods of exercise because with six older brothers it was hard to be out of shape and not be caught for a 'fun session', her brothers idea of fun which involved chasing their sister for hours on end just for the fun of it. She picked up her pace again as she thought she heard footsteps. Ginny chanced a look over her shoulder. Seconds later she ran head into something very solid. She picked herself up, very shaken and looked up to see a rather large tree. She started on her way again making sure to focus on what was in front of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco stopped, this time he knew it wasn't his imagination, he had definitely heard some sort of noise. He pulled out his wand and sent a stunning spell through the trees in the direction the noise had come from. When he didn't hear anything else he started off in the direction of his stunning spell. Through the darkness he could see a small form lying motionless on the ground. As he approached the figure he realized that it was indeed human for it was wearing a cloak and the figure was also holding something in it's arm. Draco turned the figure over and could make out a feminine face under the deep cloak hood. He let his attention wander from the face to the creature in her arms which was beginning to stir. The creature was a small white cat who looked up at Draco inquisitively. Draco shuddered when he saw the intelligence in the cat's eyes. He looked the girl over briefly for any injuries that would make it unsafe to move her before gingerly picking her up. He continued to head off in the direction he had previously been going. Draco figured he would leave the girl at the first town he came to.

A/N: This is where shout-outs will go when I start getting some reviews. (hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge) Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter the next one will (hopefully) be up by tomorrow seeing as my classes are canceled cuz' of the US holiday! 


	2. What?

A/N: As to the confusion with the disclaimer in the last chapter- I tried to have it be really small but it didn't work well. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I disclaim.

~*~*~The Dark Side of the Moon~*~*~

And now, without further ado, here is chapter two:

Ginny awoke to the sounds of breakfast being made. She slowly opened her eyes, fearing what she would see. She should have been in the woods. The sight that met her eyes was certainly a shocker. Bright sunlight was streaming in through a large window behind her. She was lying on a dark green couch covered by a green blanket and facing what looked to be someone's living room. Nothing looked familiar. Bastet chose just that moment to jump onto Ginny's side and claw her way onto the back of the couch. Without meaning to Ginny squealed in surprise. Seconds after, a tall thin woman with brown hair and smile on her round face came rushing in jabbering on about how a nice young man had come to her last night and told her that Ginny had been in need on a place to stay. Ginny looked around in bewilderment. 

"Hang on, who are you and what am I doing here?!?" Ginny practically shrieked. 

"Oh my. Sorry dear. I'm Deborah McNulty and like I said, a nice young man came here last night and told me you needed a place to stay. Of course I took you in, how could I not with all the rumors going on. You would have been in such danger had I not." The woman kept jabbering on after Ginny had stopped listening.

'Rumors? What rumors? Why would I have been in danger?' Ginny's mind was churning with questions. 

She abruptly got up when she saw the newest copy of the Daily Prophet lying on the table next to the couch. The headline on the front-page read- **"You-Know-Who Attack Results in Fatalities on Both Sides"** Ginny sat back down and started to read...

__

Late last night the rumors, which have been flying around lately, came true. You-Know-Who attacked a family that was on vacation in Bulgaria. The family had been visiting a relative who works with dragons. All but one was found dead when aurors arrived at the scene. Surprisingly the family was not the only ones dead, many death eaters were also found dead. Apparently someone was able to release the dragons being kept nearby the families tents. The dead death eaters were charred to a crisp...

Ginny fainted dead away when the realization hit her. 'My god... they're dead...' were her last thoughts before she sank into merciful darkness. 

"Ginny, Ginny wake up lil' sis." A voice began to bring her out of darkness. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco carried the girl for about an hour before reaching a small town of which he didn't know the name. He went to the first house he came to and knocked on the door, to tired to care if he woke them up. A Tall woman with brown hair came to the door in her nightclothes. 

"She needs a place to sleep for the night. It's not safe for her out here." Said Draco quietly.

"Of course, bring her in and set her down on the couch here," the lady said ushering his in and motioning to the couch.

Draco set her on the couch, straightened, thanked the kind lady, and left quickly. 'Wonderful just wonderful Draco, you just had to let your damn nerves get to you back there in the forest. If you hadn't you would have been miles further than this by now.' At that moment Draco spotted a broom, carelessly left outside. 

A/N: I know this chapter is really short. I didn't know how I could fit parts of what happens next into it and make it work. The next one will answer a lot of questions I'm sure you all have. Lots of surprises in the next one. (Hint- the chapter title will be 'New Brother, New Sister') and now for the shout-outs. 

Special Thanks to: 

animegirl-mika: Thanks so much for being my first ever reviewer!!!!

Lily skylo: I'm glad you like so far, and yes I am planning on continuing it!

nikki: don't worry, it won't be short for long ;)

Esmerelda Narmolanya: Thanks, he'll get a real shocker that's for sure!

GinnyYvette: This is the summer after Draco's fourth year and after Ginny's third.

SAngel: Thanks so much for reviewing.

Rainbow Dreamer: Glad you like it, yeah it is really rushed right now but once it gets started it should slow down. Right now is the tedious part of getting the background of the story written.


	3. New Brother, New sister?

A/N: Tedious explanations, I know but the sooner we get these over with, the sooner we can all get to the good stuff. Anyways, this chapter is longer than the others, as promised so enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I disclaim. End of story.

~*~*~The Dark Side of the Moon~*~*~

It's me to a T so here's chapter three

Noon came and went and Ginny was still waiting for someone to come and get her. Because she couldn't apparate, she was waiting for someone from the court to come and get her with a port key. 

Exactly three days ago her brother Bill, who had heard about the attack, had come to find her. Officials had known she wasn't dead from the lack of bodily evidence and discovered her in the care of Deborah McNulty when a girl was reported found in a nearby town. Bill, her only surviving relative, had come to get her and tie things up. He had left her where she currently was waiting to go ahead by means of apparation and send her a port key. They were to meet a judge the next morning to go over her parents' wills.

*Pop* A small wizard with a very crooked nose apparated with what appeared to be a flat muggle bicycle tire in hand.

"I presume you are Virginia Rose Weasley? Yes," he said when she nodded, "come along then, your brother will be waiting."

Ginny silently stood and grabbed a hold of the tire and seconds later they vanished from the spot.

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"Draco! O, I was so worried when you weren't here! I was afraid you had gone with your father and been killed!" Narcissa Malfoy was nearly hysterical when she saw Draco. He had gone back to Malfoy Manor when he had discovered the attack to find his mother sobbing over the death of her son. She had not loved or cared for Her 'husband' for many years, ever since he had declared his intention of making Draco a death eater when he came of age. Narcissa had never approved of the dark lord and preferred to remain neutral in the battle. When she voiced these opinions, Lucius had placed her under the imperius curse. The moment he had died the curse died as well and the realization of her son's supposed death hit her hard so she had gone back to her home to wallow in self-pity.

Draco had traveled for another few days when he began to hear whispers of how many of the dark lord's men had died. By asking around discreetly, he had found that his father was numbered among the dead. He couldn't have been happier. He had immediately found his way home using floo powder, only to find his mother crying, her face unusually red and blotchy. ' O gods,' he thought, 'she thinks I was killed.' He had rushed to his mother's side to tell he was fine. 

*Tap Tap* A small gray owl was tapping on the window, a letter tied to it's leg. 

_To: Narcissa Malfoy_

In regards to Molly Rose Weasley's final words contained in her legal will, you are asked to attend a hearing at which the document in question will be read. Please arrive at the Diagon Alley courthouse on July 3rd. Your presence will be greatly appreciated. 

Sincerely,

Judge William Pumpernickel 

Draco had been, of course, reading over her shoulder and asked why her presence was required at the reading of a Weasley's will. He had only been raised to believe that they were poor and therefore worth-less. His mother began the long story of how she and Molly Weasley had been best friends when they were at Hogwarts. 

(A/N: I'm sure you don't want the long explanation but if you do, tell me in your review and give me ur email address and I'll email it to you. In short they were best friends at Hogwarts since the day they found out that they had the same middle name. That changed when Narcissa married Lucius but they continued to be friends, just secretly so neither would be in danger.) 

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"Look, Ginny, I need to talk to you before mom's will is read. The courts might not let me take care of you. So incase they won't, I hope you know that it isn't because I don't love you or want you to stay with me, it is just because you can't by law." Bill told Ginny before they were supposed to be in the courtroom.

"Mr. and Miss Weasley? Your presence is required for the reading of your parents' wills. Please come in now." The short wizard with the crooked nose said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The main points of Molly's will read as follows...

_Should my husband not survive me, all of my possessions shall be divided between my surviving children as they see fit... _

Although it will be a shock to all, the official godmother of my children is Narcissa Malfoy. It is my wish that any of my children remaining in school at the time of my death should live with her. She was my dearest friend in life and I trust my children to her. Any of my children out of school shall be free to live where and with whom they like...

As the last words in the will were read everyone in the courtroom became silent. 

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"Ginny, I love you and I promise to visit you often. Don't worry now that Lucius is dead, there is nothing to worry about, and Narcissa will be a good guardian for you. She must be if mom trusted her so much. I'll come see you in a few days, OK honey? Bye." Bill said before apparating away as Ginny simply nodded. 

"Ginny?" Narcissa's soft voice seemed out of place to what her late husband's reputation indicated. "Ginny, if it's all right with you I would like to legally adopt you so that I can better take care of you. Your mother was a dear friend of mine and I hope you know that I would be honored to have a daughter like you." 

Ginny remained silent but nodded and moved to hug Narcissa. A few days later all the necessary legal documents had been filled out and Ginny and Narcissa were on their way to Malfoy manor when house elves had already prepared Ginny's new room. 

A/N: Don't kill me for stopping there, but it is almost seven and I put off all my homework tonight to type this. I'm going to do shout-outs and then get to my homework. I promise I'll update again as soon as I can. Thanks so much to all who read and review. By the way, I was stunned to see how many reviews I've gotten already for this story; it's only my first one so I wasn't expecting to get so many positive ones.

Lily Skylo: I'm glad you think it's interesting, hope you enjoyed the latest chapter.

dragonfire: Bill, her brother woke her up, and I promise to keep writing it when I have the time.

Lyss: Yay! I'm so glad this is original enough, I was afraid someone might have done something similar that I hadn't read or something. Thanks for the review.

CiNdY: A lot will come later, keep reading to find out what *chuckles evilly*

animegirl-mika: Ur welcome, thanks so much for the review!

Iselin: I'm sorry I stopped right there. Hopefully this one isn't to bad of a cliffhanger.

If I forgot anyone, I'm so sorry, just tell me in your review and I'll be sure to get you in on the next chapter.


	4. dreams and dances

A/N: Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers. O.K. When you review this chapter please tell e if you would like me to write more about molly and Narcissa's friendship. Whichever choice gets more votes I will do. Also tell me if you want it incorporated in this fic or if u want it in a new fic.

Disclaimer: I disclaim, I am a poor student who owns nothing.

~*~*~ The Dark Side of the Moon~*~*~

getting down to the core, here's chapter four.

"Here is your room Ginny. If you want we can go to Diagon Alley tomorrow and get your school things and do some other shopping. Dinner will be at seven; do you have any food preferences?" Narcissa was trying to make Ginny feel welcome but was very out of practice.

Ginny simply stated, "Anything would be good, thank you." And walked into her room with her belongings from home.

Narcissa turned away from the door and shook her head. Ginny was so much like her mother in so many ways. She walked off to get the house elves started on dinner.

Still in her new room Ginny walked around placing and putting away her belongings. Sure she was devastated that her family had been ripped away from her, but she also knew that they couldn't come back and the sooner she accepted that, the sooner she could move on with her life. 

"Knock Knock," someone from the doorway said. Draco poked his head into the room and asked, "Can I come in?"

Ginny turned around and said, "If you want." 

Draco staggered back a few steps before regaining her composure. Draco was not often surprised but this girl had shocked him no less than three times in merely seconds. He had expected to find her crying over her loss and having red puffy eyes, he had come to comfort her after all. But no here she stood with clear bright eyes that were entirely dry and tear-free. He recognized her young face as being that of the girl he had encountered in the forest of Bulgaria. Quite possibly for the first time in years, he was left speechless by how perfect and beautiful she was in his eyes. 

"Well if you aren't going to come in then I'll just get back to my unpacking," Ginny said slowly and evenly.

Draco simply nodded and fled.

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The next few weeks passed relatively uneventfully. Ginny grew to know the manor and it's inhabitants, Draco got over referring to Ginny as SHE every time he talked of her, and Narcissa came to love Ginny as a daughter. As Ginny was adjusting to her new home, she and Draco became friends. Although, just as brother and sister would, they bickered quite often.

Their family was officially invited to the End of Summer Ball, where anyone who was anyone in the wizarding world went to celebrate the coming of the end of summer. All of the richest and most well off wizarding families were expected to attend. 

Ginny got the chance to wear her new dress robes she had gotten when she and 'Aunt Narcissa', as Ginny now called her, had gone to Diagon Alley. Her robes were a deep forest green with a tight low-cut bodice and sleeves made of a gauzy see-through material. The robes were form fitting down to her waist and then widened at her hips to fall elegantly down her legs. The robes were long enough to brush the ground when she wore the strapped black 1-inch heel shoes that went with them.

Draco was attired in a new set of robes made of black satin with a green trim around the sleeves and collar. Draco and Ginny walked into the hall where the ball was side-by-side at Narcissa's insistence. They were of an equal height at 5'6" for Draco had not yet gone through his final growth spurt. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Narcissa's view of the Ball~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I have always enjoyed watching other humans interact, I find it most fascinating. This will explain why I was sitting at the side of the hall roughly halfway through the evening. In barely the time of a month, I had already come to think of Ginny as a daughter. It is difficult to deal with a girl on the threshold of woman-hood. I'll be the first to admit my mothering skills have faded with trying to raise Draco, he was always getting in trouble. I was pleased when Draco began to warm up to Ginny. They walked into the ball together but now I see Draco is talking to a boy who must be close to his age though I don't recognize him. I turned my gaze from them to look for Ginny. After a few moments I spotted her talking to that man, Marcus Flint. They were talking animatedly when Marcus extended an arm gesture that could only mean he had asked her to dance. I was about to rise and head over to them, Ginny was, in my opinion, far to young to be dancing with him, especially to the slow waltz which had just begun playing. Just then I noticed Draco slip up next to Ginny and drag her off to the dance floor. Marcus did not appear to be interested in leaving his pray as most others would in his situation but continued to watch Ginny hungrily. Contented that Ginny was in safe hands, I let my eyes wander, observing the others attending the dance. When the waltz ended Ginny came storming up to me, amber eyes blazing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ End Narcissa's View~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Aunt Narcissa!" Ginny started, using her common title for Narcissa, "Did you see what Draco had the impertinence to do?" She didn't wait for an answer but continued in the same vein. "He dragged me away from the perfectly nice man I was about to dance with! He has no manners what-so-ever. I can't believe him!" Ginny began to simmer down and Draco started up in a calm calculated voice. 

"He's not a nice man mama, I know it. She is too young to be dancing with him anyways."

"Well, that didn't stop you from dancing with me. If I were too young to dance with him than wouldn't I be too young to dance at all? Besides I wanted him to ask me to dance. You're being just like Ron was the stupid over-protective brother!"

"Ginny," Narcissa said breaking up Ginny and Draco's argument which had been increasing in volume, "I do agree with Draco on the point that you are to young to be dancing with that man. However, I don't agree that that makes you too young to dance with anyone." 

"Furthermore," Her piercing gaze shifted to Draco, "I don't condone his way of going about letting you know of his opinion. I agree with you that it was a rather impertinent thing to do. But, no matter, it is late and we best be going."

Ginny turned on her heel and flounced out of the doorway, Draco and Narcissa trailing behind her. When the trio reached the manor, they went to their respective bedrooms and went to sleep. 

Ginny awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in her queen sized bed. She knew something was wrong. In the dream she had just had all she could remember was that Draco had been in trouble. She used to have dreams like that about her brothers when they were in trouble or sad so she decided to investigate. Draco had become as much of a brother to her as anyone of the one's she had lost. She knew her dream wasn't just a figment of her imagination. 

She threw off her forest green comforter and padded silently out of her room. Traversing the maze of corridors, which a few weeks ago she would have been lost in, she made it to the door of Draco's room. She hesitated at the door; she had never intruded as far on his privacy as to go into his room. Hearing muffled noises from underneath the door she flung it open, only to be grasped by a pair of strong hard hands and dragged towards the open window...

A/N: OMG, I'm so sorry for the cliffhanger. Actually I'm really not, no point in denying it *grins wickedly* Anyways, sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out, I haven't had much time to write, stupid professors, they have taken it upon themselves to become the bane of my existence. LOL, seriously, they have been piling on the homework. I can't do shout-outs tonight cuz I have two essays to write for tomorrow and 25 pages to read and take notes on for my AP world history class. I promise to get the next chapter out this weekend and I'll try to make it extra long. Ta for now my faithful readers! O yea, here's a funny, my spell checker keeps trying to change 'Draco' into 'Drano'. Hahaha, o well, at least I thought it was funny...


	5. Interesting Development of Friendship

Ahhhh.... It's good to be able to enjoy weekends! Ya ya, I'll get to writing now, I know you can't wait to find out what happened. *Grins* Here's a little reminder of what happened last time...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She hesitated at the door; she had never intruded as far on his privacy as to go into his room. Hearing muffled noises from underneath the door she flung it open, only to be grasped by a pair of strong hard hands and dragged towards the open window...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I'm really sorry I haven't written in a long time, I've been busy with school and volleyball and babysitting and trying to get a job and shoveling snow. Yeah we just got three and a half FEET of snow, that's like a record or something so yeah...

Ok ok, I'll stop stalling, 

Chappy Five is finally here

****

The Dark Side of the Moon

Chapter five

Summary: When followers of the dark lord someone unexpected takes her into the family kill Ginny's family. Will she and Draco ever get along as friends, or more? And what the heck is the dark market? What role will Blaise play? And most importantly, will they ever be able to stay out of trouble?

****

Disclaimer: I disclaim. End of comment.

****

Ginny was struggling to no avail against her captor. She knew that if she didn't escape his grasp soon, she would be dragged out the window to who knows where. She heard a sickening thud followed by the hands grasping her waist loosening. Her captor dropped her in a heap in the middle of the floor and ran for the open window. The dark shadow escaped followed closely by a second dark shadow. 

After catching her breath she stood up slowly, holding onto Draco's bedpost for support. She was just beginning to wonder about what had just happened when one of the dark forms slipped silently into the room again. Ginny squealed with surprise and fell to the floor again in a dead faint. 

"Shit!" the dark form exclaimed and ran over to where Ginny had collapsed. "Damn it! SHE wasn't supposed to still be here!" Draco nervously bent down to lean over Ginny.

"Weasley....," He tried softly to no avail, "...Ginny...," he tried even more tentatively. But she could not be woken, it appeared she had just drifted back to sleep and was now muttering about some difficult potion. After shaking her gently but not succeeding in waking her, Draco dragged her up onto the bed to worn out to do anything more. He then dragged himself over to a chair and curled up to sleep off what was left of the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Draco's room an hour earlier ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco was crouched by his bed double checking the lock on a small box. The box was plain and wooden; one might wonder what would be hidden in such a box that would require the lock to be double-checked. Non-the-less Draco made sure it was securely locked before climbing into bed for the night. He had overlooked the fact that his window was open slightly, or so an observer would think. 

A figure cloaked in black by the night shadows quietly stole into the room. The shadow stole over to the bed where it knelt down and retrieved the box from under the bed. Draco, who had watched these proceedings from underneath half lidded eyes suddenly sprang up and pounced onto the shadow causing it to grunt under his added weight. The two began to wrestle for the box when the door suddenly burst open. 

Draco looked up to see Ginny standing there in her white nightgown and took the distraction as opportunity to seize the box when he realized all to late that the dark form was busy dragging Ginny to the window. Not thinking about what he was doing, Draco lifted the box over the other man's head and brought it down with a sickening thud. He released Ginny and fled to the window. Draco snapped back to reality and followed the dark form.

Draco ran across the roof that was under his window and slipped over the edge dropping lightly to his feet on the next roof level.

"Shit Draco! What was that for? That bloody hurt. I was only getting her out of the way, what was I supposed to do when she just showed up like that?"

"Sorry Blaise, instinct took over I guess. I didn't know SHE was going to burst in like that, SHE wasn't supposed to you know." Draco replied casually.

"Yeah, it's ok I guess. Damn she's gonna want the whole story you know, she saw enough to be curious."

"Well we better start concocting a plausible story."

"Draco, she'll never accept anything but the truth and you know it. I'll come over in the morning to help you explain, leave the window open." Blaise said as he turned to go, "and Draco, you better pull yourself together, you don't want to make it to obvious." At this Blaise grinned and raised his eyebrows before picking up his broom and speeding off into the night.

"It's not my fault my body doesn't listen to me when I think about her... if she has any sense she'll be back in her own room by now...." Draco mumbled as he started climbing back to his window.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco woke up early as was his custom and began to stretch out the kinks in his muscles that came from sleeping in a chair all night. He walked over to the bed where he gazed down at Ginny for a moment. She looked like a little kid when she was sleeping. Her face was relaxed and held a small grin as though she was sharing a secret with a friend. *Damn* he thought *she's so innocent and sweet looking, why'd she have to end up here? * His hand reached down as if on its own to gently stroke her cheek.

Behind him someone cleared his throat and he spun around quickly. 

"You might want to work on that self-control." Blaise said not even trying to hide his grin.

"Just like you do around Ashley?" Draco teased him.

Blaise's eyes hardened slightly and he rushed at Draco tackling him to the ground. "Shut up about that, Ginny might wake up and hear you!" 

"Well, I wouldn't be awake if you two hadn't decided to have a wrestling match in the middle of the floor. And now that I am awake would you both mind telling me just what you are doing and Draco what the hell happened last night?" Ginny said startling them both. "If you're both going to sit there like guppies with your mouths open then I'm going to go take a shower and when I get back... I want to hear the entire story. Kapish?" 

Ginny extracted herself from the bed and walked into Draco's bathroom. The boys soon heard water begin to run.

"How much of that do you think SHE was awake for?" Draco asked nervously.

"Calm down Draco, I didn't hear anything that was said before 'shut up about that, Ginny might wake up and hear you'" Ginny said poking her head out of the bathroom, "and would you be so kind as to toss me a pair of pants and a t-shirt, anything clean will do."

Draco quickly went to his closet and grabbed the articles of clothing she had requested and handed them to her through the half open door. He was surprised to find her clad only in a towel but was careful not to let his surprise show on his face. Ginny quickly shut the door after she received the clothes. Neither of the boys dared to speak until they heard her clear singing voice drift out of the bathroom. 

"Well, looks like she's not as timid as would be expected, maybe we have a new partner." Blaise commented.

"Damn, she's gonna be trouble, that's for sure." Draco replied absently. He had determined to not show any feelings he might have for or because of her on his face again.

Ginny emerged from the bathroom wearing Draco's clothes, which were at least two sizes too big, and a towel wrapped around her head. 

"I suggest you start explaining." She said getting straight down to business. 

"Okay. Well you see for the past two years Draco and I have been doing some, we'll call it trading, in Hogsmeade. And, well, sometimes the people on the worse end of the deal don't take things too well so over the summer we have these 'practice sessions' and we prepare for possible attacks..." Blaise paused letting Draco pick up the story.

"You just walked in on one of our practices last night." Draco finished quickly trying to avoid Ginny's interested look.

"And what exactly do you 'trade', hmmm?" She inquired.

"I don't think you want to know that one." Draco replied coolly.

"Yes. I do." She responded dangerously.

"Fine, we 'trade' information and goods for the dark market*" (the dark market is like the black market except in the wizarding world, it's very dangerous to be involved in and it's members don't take highly to spies and people who know to much) 

"Isn't that dangerous for you?" Ginny questioned.

"Yes, but it's well worth the risk, besides, our identities remain secure, no one knows we are involved. They only know that their contacts are Ali the rat and his partner Keelash the serpent. We're quite safe; we've spent years developing our identities." Blaise commented earning him a glare from Draco who hadn't wanted to give that much info to her. Blaise took no notice and continued, "Most of the towns people already think of Draco as the all seeing Dragon though, I'll admit he sure has a knack for knowing everything before anyone else. He can also see amazingly well in the dark and hear like a hawk as well. Hah! There's even a rumor going around that he turns into a dragon at night. Man, the town's people sure are gullible and superstitious!" Blaise seemed to find this extremely funny and began to laugh.

"It's a lot more dangerous than Blaise makes it out to be which is why you should stay out of it." Draco spoke up.

"Hell no! If you are going to be out there risking your necks then I most certainly have the right to as well!" Ginny huffed.

"Yeah well, with your red hair it wouldn't exactly be easy to disguise you so how about we'll keep you informed with what we are up to, ok? Is that good enough?" Draco asked.

"Well, I think you should at least try to disguise me and if that doesn't work then I suppose that will be good enough. As long as you two keep up your end of this, I'll refrain from telling anyone else about this."

"Deal." Draco and Blaise said at the same time. The three shook on it before getting to work on Ginny. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco sent for a house elf to take a message to his mother. 

_Mother,_

Blaise showed up for a visit this morning, he'll be staying for a few days if that's ok. He Ginny and I will be taking our meals in my room today. Ginny says she is sorry she'll have to decline your offer to go to Diagon alley today. Have fun if you go. 

~Draco

"Won't she be suspicious with a note like that?" Ginny asked.

"Nah, Blaise comes over all the time without notice. And it's not that unusual for the three of us to spend some time getting to know each other better. Mother will be positively thrilled we are getting along again after last night." Draco replied with confidence.

Draco pulled a box out of one of the drawers of his dresser and opened it revealing all kinds of fake warts, face paint, fake scars and blood, hair dye, anything that could be used to turn a person into someone else was seemingly in the box.

His face showed no emotion as he began to work. He started by making Ginny's complexion darker and more rugged. He added a wart to the end of her nose at her insistence. *Merlin, this isn't going to work on such a lovely face* he thought. Blaise was watching these proceedings with a hint of a grin. Draco next tried to dye her reddish copper hair a dark brown. Needless to say it didn't work. This was the last thing Draco could do, he spun her around to face the mirror. The look on her face was too much for Blaise; he cracked up, as did Ginny. 

Draco even had to rush to the sick and dump water over his head. Little did Ginny know that it was to keep him from scooping her up in his arms, wart and all, and snog her like mad. 

"I guess I'll have to be content with just knowing what your plans are." Ginny said between hiccups, the result of all her laughing.

"Yeah, I'd say so" Blaise laughed.

Draco remained unreadable, only nodding in agreement.

"Oh come on Draco, don't you think this is the least bit funny?" Ginny asked rushing over to tickle his sides. 

"Even you have to admit she looks ridiculous." Added Blaise.

"We should get that stuff off of you before mother comes up." 

"Geez, what's up with him?" Ginny whispered conspiratorially to Blaise on her way past him into the bathroom. In the bathroom Ginny tried to wash off all of the face paint and hair dye. When she came back out Draco and Blaise pointed out that she had missed some and helped her get it off. This of course turned into a water fight between the three of them. Draco even cracked a smile before having to dump water on his head again at the sight of Ginny in a soaked t-shirt, his t-shirt at that! 

Over the next few weeks Blaise came over nearly every other day until it was time for them to go back to school. Blaise's parents were busy on September 1st so he accompanied the Malfoys to platform 9 3/4. The three dragged their trunks onto the train and pushed them into an empty compartment before Ginny announced that she was going to see if she could find some of the other girls in her year.

"I'll be back before the train starts; I just want to catch up with them a little bit." She said before exiting their compartment.

"So what are you going to do about her?" Blaise asked.

"Who knows, probably the same thing I've done all summer, be vague and unemotional." Draco replied. 

"Why can't you just tell her how you feel, I mean, it's not like you two are actually brother and sister. Things would be so much simpler if you did." 

"Yeah right, she just lost her family for Merlin's sake! She just thinks of me as another brother and it'll never be anything more." 

"Oh. Well, eventually things might get better." 

Draco didn't answer; he was looking out the window seemingly lost in his own world. 

"Well, since you seem kind of out of it, ah never mind you're not listening anyways. I'll be back later." Blaise said before leaving the compartment. He headed down the hall to the end of the train where he found some other friends from slytherin.

Draco was lost in thought, mostly about Ginny.

~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile in another compartment Ginny was talking happily with Hannah and Amanda Whitherton, twins that she had met last year and had started to befriend. They were both in Ravenclaw. Harry walked into the compartment and talked with them for a few minutes before asking if he could talk to Ginny alone for a moment. Hannah and Amanda said goodbye to Ginny and left to find some other people.

"Ginny," Harry began, "I heard about what happened. I'm really sorry, how are you holding up?" 

"It's been rough but the Malfoys have really been great." She replied.

"That's right, I almost forgot you were living with them now. That's got to be absolute torture. Imagine, Malfoy's probably given you no end of teasing."

"Did you not just hear me say that they have been great?"

"Oh and Ginny I wanted to ask you something. Well, I've been thinking, and I think it would be easier for you to deal with all this if you had a boyfriend. So I've decided to tell you that we can go out now, it would be for the best. What do you think? Isn't it great?"

"You bastard! How can you say that? You have done nothing but ignore me for the past FOUR years!!! I may have had a crush on you for a while but you never even noticed I was there and now you think you can just say we are going out just like that?! Think again. And how dare you insult Draco and Narcissa!!! They have been so kind to me, and you never even wrote once when you found out! Go fuck yourself, I never want to hear you speak about what you don't know again!" Ginny stormed out of the compartment and ran back to the one she thought Draco and Blaise were in. Ginny waited until she got inside before breaking down completely.

Draco heard someone running up the hall and begin to open his compartment door. This noise had snapped him out of his trance or self-pity. The first thing he noticed was that Blaise was gone. He then turned his attention to the door. Ginny swept through the door with a determined look on her face. It wasn't until she had closed the door that she collapsed on the floor and began sobbing.

Without thinking Draco rushed over to her and scooped the crying girl onto his lap. He hugged her and whispered comforting words until she began to calm down. He was absently stroking her hair when she spoke.

"He's such a bastard! How can he say such things?"

"Who is he Ginny? What did he say?"

Ginny looked up to Draco's face and began sobbing again. Draco pulled her closer and she wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder. They stayed like this until Blaise came back and upon seeing Ginny crying, sandwiched her between him and Draco hugging her as well.

"You guys are so great;" she choked out between sobs. 

Eventually the boys got the whole story out of her. By this time Ginny had calmed down and was restraining the boys from rushing off to break Harry's neck. Well, Blaise was the only one trying to get out the door; Draco had just gotten dangerously silent. But by the time they got to Hogwarts they had all changed into their school clothes and were playing a muggle card game of ERF.

The three entered the Great Hall together and Blaise and Draco walked Ginny over to the Gryffindor table making sure she was seated with her housemates before heading over to the Slytherin table. Most of the sorting and feast was a blur to Ginny; she was eagerly waiting for it to be over. She, Draco, and Blaise had agreed to meet after the feast and let the others know both common room passwords so they could talk to each other whenever they wanted. 

"Draco! Blaise! Over here," she called as they walked out of the Great Hall.

"Hey Ginny, we just got the password, it's 'slytherin pride'," can you meet us by the potions room tonight so we can show you where the common room is?" Blaise said.

"Sure and then afterwards we can go to the Gryffindor common room so you guys will know where it is. By the way the password is 'lemon pop-sickle'." Ginny said, "I'll see you guys later, I have to go unpack. Draco, we should sent a thank-you note to Narcissa for getting us our own rooms later."

"Yeah, ok we'll see you at ten by the potions class then." Draco said before starting off towards the dungeons.

A/N: O.K. I'm on a roll!!! I'm going to keep writing tonight but post this now so you guys won't think I forgot you. Again, I'm really sorry I kept you waiting so long. This is a longer chapter to make up for it. Also in the future I'm not going to post on a regular basis. Sometimes I'll post every day or every week and at other times it'll take longer so bear with me please. Don't forget to review. And much thanks to all those who reviewed the other chapters. 


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